When we look around, we see things that should unsettle any rational being: people killed for trivial reasons, others inciting more violence under that pretense, and an extraordinary accumulation of wealth that contributes neither to the holder’s own well-being nor to that of others. There is meanness of spirit, widespread despair, anger, and suffering. If all this led to a better world, it might be understandable. But there is no better world in sight that could emerge from such foolishness.

We swim in a sea of foolishness with no shore of wisdom in sight. Yet Stoicism calls us to practice wisdom. But how? Perhaps we think that being wise is too hard and that we all need to be sages to be wise. Sometimes we pretend our acts of foolishness are indeed wise. One practical way to wisdom is to act wisely. Stoicism provides guidance on how to do this. Suppose we act according to Stoic principles— this is probably what we will do:

1. We will act according to the nature of the world. The nature of the world manifests itself by what happens around us or to us. This means we will not complain or lose heart, whatever happens, but focus on how best to cope with it.
2. We will act according to our nature. Our nature is rationality. So if anything negative happens, we won’t be defeated by it but will rationally analyze what options are in our power and choose the best one.
3. We will think before we act. Our first response to anything we perceive to be negative is often impulsive. But our first impressions are often incorrect. So we will take our time and examine the impression before acting.
4. We will be restrained in our responses. Whether it is responding to a volatile situation or deciding how much to drink or eat, we will be restrained and thoughtful.
5. We will be courageous. We will not go through life fearing every little thing. While we may be restrained, we will speak up when our integrity demands it.
6. We will be just. We will be confident we can run our lives with the resources we have and seek what we need. We will not unjustly take what belongs to someone else. We will also ensure that everyone gets what they deserve.

Being practicing Stoics, you all, I am sure, would have recognized what I’ve been talking about here. These are the fundamental Stoic principles:

• Live according to nature.
• Ignore things not under your control.
• Confine your actions to what you can control.
• Judge all impressions before acting.
• Practice Stoic virtues: practical wisdom, moderation, courage, and justice.

If we simply follow these principles, we don’t have to check if we are wise. As we act according to these principles, we will become wise—act by act, day by day.

We cannot fight foolishness with foolishness. We cannot dispel foolishness by fighting against it any more than we can dispel darkness by looking for even darker places. Yet, as darkness disappears gently, without effort, when confronted with light, foolishness will disappear when confronted with wisdom.

As we live more and more according to these principles, we will be acting more and more wisely. That’s all we can do—and that’s all being wise means.

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